Neirozinātne un materiālzinātne apvieno spēkus jauna tipa mākslīgo taktīlo sensoru izveidē

Translated title of the contribution: Neuroscience and material science joins efforts to create a new type of artificial tactile sensors

Ingvars Birznieks, Juris Zavickis, Artis Linarts, Maris Knite

    Research output: Chapter in Book / Conference PaperChapter

    Abstract

    Brain-Machine-Interfaces and mind controlled manipulators are no longer science fiction. It is time to go even further. The functionality of hand prosthesis and manipulators is limited by the availability of sensory information about features of grasped object and manipulative forces. Artificial sensors, which could match functionality of human tactile receptors, currently are not available. The aims of this study are: 1. Using neurophysiological knowledge about functional properties of human tactile afferents and use of sensory information in sensorimotor transformations during object manipulation acknowledge obstacles which have precluded engineers from developing highly efficient artificial sensors; 2. Define requirements crucial for building artificial tactile sensors mimicking biological prototype; 3. To test mechanical features and evaluate stimulus-response characteristics of unique mechanosensitive conductive rubber material developed by our material science team. Mechanosensitive conductive rubber was manufactured by blending polyisoprene caoutchouc with highly structured nano–size carbon black (Degussa Printex XE2), Cyclohexyl-Benzothiazole-Sulfenamide, zinc oxide and sulphur. Mechanosensitive conductive rubber demonstrated high sensitivity to deformation, feature stability across relevant environmental conditions and ability to respond to fast dynamic stimuli in the frequency range of up to 50 Hz, which matches features of biological type of receptors involved in signalling frictional information. Frictional information is the key parameter required to control grip forces during object manipulation. Our mechanosensitive conductive rubber demonstrated unique combination of features like sensitivity to deformation (bending and stretch) and softness which makes it exceptionally suitable for manufacturing artificial tactile sensors to be used in intelligent hand prosthesis and robotic manipulators.
    Translated title of the contributionNeuroscience and material science joins efforts to create a new type of artificial tactile sensors
    Original languageLatvian
    Title of host publicationMūsdienu Fizioloģijas Problēmas un Prakse : Zinātnisko Rakstu Krājums = Contemporary Problems and Practice in Physiology : Collection of Scientific Articles
    EditorsGunita Praulīte, Juris I. Aivars, Ingvars Birznieks, Jānis Gedrovics
    Place of PublicationLatvia
    PublisherDruk?tava
    Pages31-46
    Number of pages16
    ISBN (Print)9789934503047
    Publication statusPublished - 2012

    Keywords

    • tactile sensors
    • mechanoreceptors

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